The potential role of complementary medicine in women with pelvic pain

Introduction: There has been an increase in support for women with endometriosis recently, yet very little for women with chronic pelvic pain (CPP) more broadly. Women with CPP and endometriosis are underserviced due to low awareness and understanding in research and practitioner communities. This project aims to contribute to engaging complementary medicine (CM) and integrative practitioners in sustainable systems of healthcare to help fill that unmet need. Methods: Australian women with endometriosis or pelvic pain were participated in three focus groups. Thematic analysis was conducted on transcribed transcripts using the constant comparative method to determine new theme presence. Results: Women who experienced CPP had a wide range of painful symptoms that were not well controlled. They felt that their doctors often downplayed or ignored their symptoms, and this idea of them 'making it up', combined with a lack of effective treatment, negatively affected their mental health. These women were unsure about where to turn for help and good advice, and had to become their own 'disease managers'. Women were interested in multi-disciplinary options for management, but often did not know where to look. Conclusion: Women with CPP lack support from conventional medical care and this underscores the need for information and services to support women through a currently incurable and mostly untreatable lifelong condition, for which CM practitioners are ideally suited. From a translational aspect; these women's voices can inform other research in CPP and endometriosis so future women's health services are more patient centred and ultimately evidence-based.